Affinity
by miss muffiniecake
Summary: Four years have passed since the war, and the gang had gone their separate ways. A messenger delivers shocking news, and chaos and deception ensue. Will love grow where pride once was? Can it heal a broken heart? And can Iroh ever find his lotus tile?
1. Prologue

Prologue:

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar, but I am more than happy to embellish on it. :) *rated M for safety***

Aang: 17

Katara: 18

Sokka: 19

Suki: 19

Toph: 16

Zuko: 20

_The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step._  
_- Lao Tse_

* * *

It's been four years since the end of the Hundred Year War, and the Four Nations knew balance and harmony once again. An era of peace replenished the land and brought a new sense of normalcy to its people. Aang joined Sokka and Katara in the Southern Water Tribe, where he inspired hundreds to flock to the icy land in search of his blessing for any and all reasons. Toph opened her own Earth Bending Academy in Omashu, since she couldn't stand the confines of Ba Sing Se. She taught many pupils there in her own unique style, channeling the badger-moles expertise to produce many young master benders. Suki returned to Kyoshi Island after a rather bad breakup with Sokka, leaving the South Pole to resume her role as the leader of the Island's fierce female warriors. Last but not least, Zuko had remained relatively isolated, ruling the Fire Nation with the gentle and nurturing hand his country craved. In this place, the trees grew taller, the flowers bloomed brighter, and even the sun seemed eager to rise in the morning.

"The sun is so bright today!" Katara shaded her blue eyes as she squinted up at the sky. Her footsteps slushed a little as she walked, the midday blaze melting the uppermost layer of snow.

"I think my tan is getting tan," Sokka mused, examining the skin on his arm.

"That can't happen Sokka," Katara rolled her eyes, shifting the basket of fish they had caught onto her other hip.

"It could!" He snapped defiantly. "How do you explain us being so dark and Aang being so pale?"

"I don't know," she sighed, annoyed. "Maybe because you talk too much?"

"Nuh-uh!" Sokka exclaimed, then blinked in confusion. "Wait, what?"

But Katara kept walking. Sokka frowned, glanced questioningly up at the sun, and hurried to keep up.

When they finally crested the hill overlooking the village, the burning sun was low in the sky.

"Hey, Katara! Sokka! Look at this!" A red blur flew past them, ruffling their clothes. He did a triple somersault in midair, then landed gracefully on an air ball he conjured at the last second.

"What'd ya think?" Cool, huh!" Aang grinned happily as Sokka congratulated him excitedly, Katara beaming behind them.

"So did you guys catch anything ice fishing?" Aang's big grey eyes glinted playfully at the both of them.

"Yeah, enough for tonight at least," Katara showed the basket of fish off, revealing the meager catch that lay within. Aang raised one of his eyebrows.

"Good thing I don't eat meat," he chided. Sokka immediately groaned, turning away and slapping his forehead.

"Well, Sokka here wouldn't let me waterbend. He prefers the 'old-fashioned way,'" Katara teased, winking at Aang.

"Hey! I caught exactly what we needed, even without all your fancy magic tricks!" He scoffed, crossing his arms.

"Maybe going to bed hungry tonight will convince you to let me waterbend next time," his sister added, patting him delicately on his shoulder.

"Whatever Katara. A real warrior uses his superior strength and skills to do what he must to conquer all situations!" he said valiantly, punching the air with his boomerang clenched in his fist. Aang and Katara just snickered quietly behind his back. Fortunately for Sokka, he was too preoccupied with images of victory to notice.

They all laughed and descended the hill. The last rays of sunlight disappeared on the horizon as they arrived at their hut on the edge of the village. They began preparing for dinner, each doing a different task to help speed along the process. In a short while, a meal of stewed sea prunes, grilled polar ice cod and cantemelon berry juice was being thoroughly enjoyed by all.

Suddenly, there was fervent knocking on their door. The trio dropped their forks and stared at the wooden frame, wondering vaguely if the thin panel would buy them enough time to prepare for a fight. Sokka put a hand on his sword, rising from the table and walking to the door. He cracked it open, the other two holding their breath. Then Sokka sighed and opened it all the way. It was Grangran.

"Quickly!" The old woman whispered, pushing past Sokka. A strange and unfamiliar face strode closely behind her, giving him a knowing look.

"Grangran!" Katara said in surprise, standing as her grandmother approached her. "What's wrong?"

Grangran rushed to each window, leaning out and glancing around before closing them securely. Finally, she took a seat by the fire, the strange boy standing by her side.

"This is a messenger from the Fire Nation, he is sent with desperate news!" She motioned for the boy to speak on. The boy took his place by the fire, the orange glow casting an ominous shadow down the left side of his face. The wind started to pick up outside, giving itself away with its soft howling.

He cleared his throat, and began. "I am here in the Southern Water Tribe by the order of Fire Lord Zuko, who asks respectfully and urgently for the Avatar and his friends to travel to his Royal Palace immediately. It is top secret business and must be discussed in person, as soon as possible. He asks that you take leave as soon as the escort ship arrives. He apologizes for any inconvenience, but stresses the significance of the situation most ardently." The boy paused and took a breath, his cheeks flushing at the wide-eyed stares he was receiving.

"He foresaw your confusion, so he entrusted me with this item. I was instructed to give it to you should you question the reason for this journey."

From within his robes the boy drew out a small carved wooden box, offering it respectfully to Aang. Katara and Aang exchanged a meaningful look, then he shrugged and accepted the box. He opened it, Sokka pushing his face eagerly in the middle of the other two. Inside, a small, delicate-looking red feather lay glittering in the firelight.

"This is supposed to help?" Sokka yelled, exasperated. "I'm even more confused than I was before!"

The boy stood. "The ship should dock here soon after sunrise, and I will be expecting you to arrive in a timely manner." He bowed, then slipped back out the way he came and disappeared into the night.

The threesome all glanced at each other, the wooden box sitting conspicuously in the middle. The means was staring them in the face, but the end to the truth was not so obvious.

The dishes were washed, the candles were blown out, and they were all tucked safely into bed. Soon, the soothing sounds of the waves on the icy beach lulled their eyes closed, and their breathing became even and deep. They went to sleep that night, each dreaming of the possible reasons they would soon be at the Fire Lord's doorstep.

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So, what do you guys think? I'd love it if you would leave helpful reviews for me to improve with. I have more of it written, but I want to know whether or not it seems interesting enough to continue reading. Personally, I really like where this story is going in my head. Trust me, you won't be disappointed with the Zutara and other romances that are to come! Just be patient and kind with me, and I will provide you with, at the very least, a good read. :) Thank you so much for giving this a chance! Peace. :3


	2. A New Adventure

**Chapter 1: By the Sea**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar.**

_If you only look at what is, you may never attain what could be.  
- Anonymous_

* * *

She was up before the sunrise that morning; up before the others were even awake. She paced her room, thinking hard about what else she might need. She carefully folded and stacked her bedclothes in her leatherskin bag, concealing her toiletries and shoes. All of her formal dresses were packed, seeing as they were most likely going to be stuck in the palace the majority of the time.

She gazed out the window, mesmerized by the push and pull of the tides. In a few short hours, she would be among the waves there, on her way to another problem to solve, or another mess to clean up. That's just the way she saw it, anyway. She sighed and turned away.

Her eyes met with ones of an identical shade.

"You're awake." Sokka's face was impassive. He rolled the covers off of him and sat up, tying his short hair up into a warrior's wolftail.

"Just for a little while," she replied softly, glancing at Aang sleeping peacefully in the corner.

"Are you nervous?" The first rays of light cast a strange shadow on his face, and she noticed just how grown up he looked. She remembered his sweet youthful face, when times were easier. He was a man now.

Katara nodded, moving to sit next to him. He sat up and put his arm around her, covering both of them in his sleeping fur.

"None of us has seen or even heard from Zuko in years, and the one time he invites us to stay is when he has bad news." She rested her head on her brother's warm shoulder, comforted. "What if he doesn't want to see us just to see us anymore? We all used to be so close, and now we've all lost touch. It's so different now." Her throat tightened, and she swallowed. "I miss what we used to have." She closed her eyes, hiding the tears she was embarrassed to show. His scent calmed her though, the smell of leather and steel and the sea.

"No matter what happens, we'll still have each other. That's always been enough for me." Sokka turned and placed a light kiss on her forehead, and smiled. He wrapped his arms around her, comforting her as much as himself. She wasn't afraid anymore, in that moment. Although they fought occasionally, and hated to show affection in public, somehow he could always cheer her up. She felt lucky too, to have him as her brother.

A low, deep horn blasted faintly in the distance. The two pairs of arctic eyes looked out and saw the iron ship on the horizon, a simple black dot they could barely make out in the dim light. It was still far away, but it looked as if it would arrive right on schedule. Aang moved suddenly in the corner, and Sokka started. Aang sat up and rubbed his eyes, trying to focus on the two watertribe members across the room. Katara smiled and stood up, Sokka taking back the rest of his blanket.

"Good morning," she said, flattening her dress against her body. "Are you hungry?" She walked towards the sink, getting out a pot and some cooking utensils to fix breakfast. Aang nodded, his eyes still half-closed. He wandered over to the stove and lit a fire with his firebending, all his movements lazy and slow. He yawned, stretching before finally settling down on the floor cushion by the table.

"You know, I'll be glad to get going again," Aang commented, shaping a drop of water into various forms with his hands. "I've gotten pretty out of shape. With my bending, I mean," he added, finally sending the droplet soaring out the window. "I can't wait to get into the action again!"

"I can't wait to see how the Fire Nation's changed," Sokka said, sharpening his sword. "I wonder if it's all....Zuko-fied."

"'Zuko-fied?' It's probably exactly the same. Maybe even a little more boring," Katara replied. "He probably hasn't even changed a whole lot. I mean, we haven't. Right?" She glanced from Sokka to Aang, looking for change. Aang blinked innocently up at Katara from the floor, then broke into huge grin. Nope, nothing there. Sokka just laughed awkwardly and rubbed the back of his head. Nothing there either. She then looked at her own reflection, and from what she could tell she appeared basically the same. Her hair was a bit longer, true. And she had gotten a little taller and more shapely, but other than that she perceived herself unchanged. She continued cooking, convinced.

"Have you both gotten everything packed?" She listened for a reply, and when she heard none, looked at the two with an annoyed expression.

"What?" Sokka yelped, "I nodded!" Katara just groaned and shook her head.

"I don't need to pack," Aang replied matter-of-factly. "I have no worldly possesions. So I have nothing to worry about." He relaxed again, leaning back against the wall.

"Alright then. We should eat quickly. That boy could come in any minute and tell us to hurry up and get on the ship." Katara turned and brought the plates of food towards the table, placing one in front of Aang and Sokka. She put her own at her place at the table, then sat down and began to eat. The horn blasted again, but this time it sounded much closer. They all peered out the window, but it was still miles away. They could vaguely make out brightly colored flags or banners on the ship, but they couldn't see where they were from.

They finished their breakfast and cleaned all the dishes, stacking them neatly back in their cupboard. Katara grabbed her bags and began loading them on the back of a cart, organizing them so that nothing would fall out through the worn leather.

"Alright, I've gotten everything together so that all you have to do is take care of your own stuff," Katara pushed a stray hair out of her face, and the wind picked up again. Sokka threw down a few small bags, then a large one that clanged together loudly. A pot rolled out onto the snowy ground, and he quickly picked it up and stuffed it back inside, grinning sheepishly. Katara ignored him.

"I think that's the last of it," Aang said, closing the door on the cart to keep the bags secure. Katara nodded, slipping her hands into the fur-lined pockets of her coat. The ship was closer now, and they could see tiny people aboard it. Sokka started to push the cart, straining slightly to gain momentum in the slippery terrain. Katara and Aang followed behind, not tearing their eyes away from the oncoming vessel.

They made their way to the outskirts of the village, the sun rising full and hot above the skyline. Appa lumbered towards them, Momo riding proudly on top of his head. Aang ran and leaped high in the air, landing beside Momo. He laughed, a laugh so reminiscent of days long gone, Katara couldn't help but smile.

"Good, you're here." The strange voice seemed to break the air, stealing the familiarity from the scene. "The ship is not six minutes from shore, so gather your friends and family if you must and say goodbye." He stood rigidly by the water, which lapped dangerously close to his expensive-looking shoes.

"No need!" A sweet voice repaired the damage done by the first, and the group all turned to see Grangran's loving face. Katara broke into a huge smile as she ran to her grandmother's side. Sokka followed suit, crashing into them with excessive force. Aang bowed honorably to the small crowd that had gathered, closing his eyes and praying silently for a safe passage. The villagers all offered the trio something to help them on their journey; one small girl held out a pair of sapphire earrings to Katara, while a young man beside her gifted Sokka a new whetstone to sharpen his sword. A few of the younger girls there all giggled and handed Aang a hand-crafted clasp for his robes, detailing each of the four elements intertwined to form a circle. Aang gazed at it in awe and genuinely thanked them, but the girls just blushed and hid behind each other.

Katara turned to face the sea, the waves coming in farther as the ship approached. She breathed in the scent of her home; the cold chill of ice in her lungs, the fleeting whiffs of smoke as it disappeared in the wind. She exhaled, her breath turning to steam as it hit the air. It seemed as if she had only just gotten home, and now she was to be away again. _Once again_, she thought, _I have no idea how long I'll be gone. Or even why I'll be gone in the first place. _

The ship was stopped now, the chain on the anchor taut in the water. The ramp began to lower, black ash rising from it's hinges. Wherever it fell it stained the snow, leaving inky trails like veins dripping into the ocean. Katara looked up and saw poles on the deck; there _were_ flags on the ship. Six, to be precise. The two in the far back were matching banners bearing the Fire Nation emblem, while the one lined up in front bore the Earth Kingdom seal. The men on top were hanging two flags on the one next to the green flag and the one in front of it. One was the gentle azure wave of the Water Tribe, while the other was the etherial wisp of the Air Nomads. There was only one pole left bare.

"What are they doing with those flags?" Aang asked, curiously staring at the banner of his people.

The strange boy stared as well, but his gaze lacked any curiousity. He was just...staring. "It is the representation of the people onboard. They are flying those flags in honor of our noble guests."

"So, that means-" Katara began to say, the ramp clashing loudly onto the gorund. A few crewsman marched out, clad in the new uniforms of the Fire Nation army. There was a pause, and they could hear sounds coming from inside. The guards stood in perfect unison at the bottom, and the air was still with them. Finally, a girl in green clambered out and sighed with relief.

"Ahh fresh air!" Toph cracked her knuckles, metalbending her way to the ground. Aang's face lit up, and he yelled her name. The blind girl turned towards his voice, and smiled as he greeted her with a bone-crushing hug. If it was hurting her, the earthbender didn't show it in the least.

"Hey there Twinkletoes!" She patted him on the shoulder, which was now on the same level as her own. "It's sure been awhile." Sokka shrieked and picked her up, spinning around and smiling. This time Toph blushed, unable to hide her emotion. He put her down and smashed his face against hers, hugging her again.

"I've missed you so much!" He pulled away, his hands gripping her shoulders. She punched him roughly on the arm, grinning. "Yeah? I've missed you too Sokka. You and that obnoxious voice." Katara ran to see her too, tears falling carelessly from her eyes.

"Toph!" She brushed the younger girl's hair out of her way, looking at her grown-up face. "You're so beautiful!" Toph faltered for a moment, almost before anyone realized she regained her posture and her sarcasm.

"Jeez, I didn't know you liked me that way," Toph teased, earning snickers from the boys. Katara frowned, but she couldn't contain herself. "No, you look so grown-up now! I can't believe how much you've changed!" She hugged her, not caring that the strange boy was watching them.

"I hope that's a compliment, missy." Toph broke free, fixing her headband. "Anyways, we should get going. Apparently we have another stop to make before the Fire Nation." She waved absent-mindedly to the crowd behind them, and climbed back onto the ship. Sokka blew a kiss at Grangran and followed Toph, his laughter echoing in the metal halls. Katara let herself have one last good look at her home before turning away. Aang winked knowingly at his fangirls, reveling in the squeals they let out. He airbended his way up to the deck, Momo landing on his shoulder suddenly. The ramp closed, the last man getting inside with only seconds to spare. The anchor was brought up, and the ship's horn blasted. This time it was unbearably loud, causing even the seasoned crew to plug their ears for a bit. As the boat pulled away, Katara felt her heart stop for a moment. Her mind filled with images of the man they were on their way to assist; the way he once was, the way he might be now. She tried to push her worries aside for the moment, but it wasn't her worries that were bothering her.

Zuko....his name was like a password that released all of her suppressed emotion. Maybe this was regret? Regret for spoiling the only chance she might have had with him, or regret for spoiling it by being with another? That was nonsense though. There was never anything there to begin with. And she was never really with Aang. They dated briefly after the war, but they had both decided after awhile that they were to much like family to ever be together romantically. It must be all in her head. After all, Zuko was with Mai back then. They were probably even married by now, it would only make sense. She was the daughter of a nobleman, and he was the Fire Lord. It was only right and proper. She herself was just a poor water tribe peasant. Not that she wanted to be anything else in his eyes.

When Katara awoke from her thoughts, the village was already a white speck miles away. Sokka leaned on the railing next to her, seemingly lost in thought as well. She looked around, but no one else was up on the deck with them. They were probably all playing Pai Sho down the stairs somewhere anyway.

"Where do you think that last flag will be from?" Sokka said suddenly, pointing at the empty pole to their right. Katara shook her head, wondering the same thing herself. "Well, I do."

Katara looked at Sokka, who just stared blankly ahead. "We're stopping at Kyoshi Island. The messenger said we should be there a few days from now...I guess Zuko wanted Suki there too." The breeze ruffled his hair, but he didn't move. Katara remained silent, knowing her brother enough to let him speak.

"I haven't seen her for two years. And we didn't exactly leave on good terms." He sighed, then turned to face his sister. "I guess you could say I'm afraid. I'm scared she won't want to be around me anymore."

"I'm sure it'll be fine. It's been long enough for her to get over any bad feelings she may have had about the whole thing," Katara soothed. "Suki's a smart girl, and she wouldn't treat you any differently than anyone else here on this ship. She'll probably be glad to see everyone together again."

Sokka nodded, but Katara knew he wasn't convinced. They stood there together, looking out over the vast expanse of sea. Katara began to go through her daily waterbending forms; gracefully shifting from one position to the next as Sokka watched. She gradually went into more challenging stances, creating a whip of water that sliced the air above her. She twisted and spun until her forehead shone, drowning out everything except her routine. No matter how rigorous she trained, she couldn't squelch the images within her mind. Flashes of memory invaded her thoughts: his smile, his strength, his regality, his face, his eyes, his lips...She stopped, panting. Sokka merely applauded, oblivious to the remnants of thought in her head that tortued her so.

The sun set hours later, and the group was getting ready for bed. Katara laid down carefully under her sheets, the candle going out from a flick of Aang's wrist. She closed her eyes, and she could hear the others already under the influence of sleep. She slowly withdrew into her mind, her body drifting away. She felt weightless, like air, and when she tried to walk she flew. The stars blazed around her, and one was brighter than them all. It grew until it was the only thing she could see; it's brilliance dazzling her dizzy. It transformed, and it was his face, smiling at her with such tenderness the heavens themselves were calm.

She dreamt that night, of fire and light. And when she awoke the next morning she could still feel the warmth of his touch on her skin.

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Sorry it took so long for me to get this up! x[ I took a trip to Texas and was a little side tracked hahaha. Hopefully I'll be able to buckle down and get the following chapters out in a timely manner. Thanks for staying with me! 3 miss muffiniecake


	3. Reunited At Last

The next few days passed quickly; each prior day blended seamlessly into the present creating a lapse in time for the passengers. Katara soon lost track of how long they had been out at sea, taking advantage of the spare time to perfect some complicated waterbending maneuvers she had been working on. Meanwhile, Aang and Toph used their time to go over every detail of the last two years the other had not been present for.

"And after I opened my Earthbending Academy in Ba Sing Se, I decided I wanted to be more managerial if ya know what I'm sayin'," Toph said matter-of-factly. "I got sick and tired of teaching a bunch of kids. I mean, once you teach the Avatar how to earthbend, everyone else just seems pretty lame!" They both laughed.

"So what do you do now?" Aang asked amiably, twirling a spoon gently through a cup of dark red tea.

"Well, mainly I manage the expenses and the employees at the Academy, but a lot of days I find myself wishing I wasn't so bored all the time. That and all the damn marriage proposals…." She trailed off, her sightless eyes pointed down towards her feet.

"What? Marriage proposals?" Aang stared at her with disbelief. "I mean, you're old enough, but…I didn't really see that coming." He laughed a little. "Is it like…a lot of men?" He frowned.

"As if," she scoffed, leaning back against the wall behind her velvet cushion. "It's just the same guy. He's been asking for months now. I have no idea what he sees in me," she laughed. "Literally. No idea." She laughed louder.

"Well," Aang cleared his throat. "Seeing as I can see, in general that is, I can tell you it's probably because you've gotten really pretty Toph." He smiled, "That and you have a pretty…unique personality. It probably doesn't come by too often around women in the Earth Kingdom."

"You'd be right about that," Toph sighed. "Unfortunately all of the other women are so meek and stupid that the second one of 'em stands apart from the rest she's like a diamond in the rough."

"Well, who is he?" Aang demanded playfully. "I bet he's an Earthbender!"

"Wrong." She answered flatly. "He's totally not. He's actually not even a bender. But he happens to be kinda high up in the chain of command over at the palace there…I think he like, advises the King or something. So he's important. I guess…" Toph trailed off again, apparently lost in thought.

"What's his name!?" Aang poked her cheek gently and laughed, reveling in her anxiety.

"It's Sheng." She smiled a little. "He honestly just seems sweet but…I don't think I'm the marrying type is all." She shrugged. "Anywho, tell me your life story Twinkletoes. It's not like I've been talking too much," she stuck her tongue out.

"Oh, well, you know me," Aang chuckled, his eyes crinkling in the corners, "Same old, same old! Just been living it up in the bustling Southern Water Tribe!"

"Uh-huh," Toph's eyes narrowed. An awkward silence followed. For a few minutes, only the sounds of tea being sipped and the sounds of waves sloshing against the hull could be heard. Finally, Toph asked the nagging question: "What ever happened between you and Katara? If you don't mind my asking."

"Well, we had some good times, we still do have fun together, I don't know," he fiddled with the sash on his robes. "I guess we both just figured we were better off as friends. She became more like a…a motherly sister to me." He finished with a big sigh, old memories coming back to him.

"Did you feel that way too?" Toph probed him gently, as gently as her straightforward nature would allow.

"Back then, yeah I thought I did," he replied slowly. "But now, I sort of regret it. I mean, I'm not in love with her the way I should be if I wanted that but…."He stopped, forming his thoughts. "But I always have this nagging feeling of what might have been. What we might have done. What we could have had." He sighed. "It's all far into the past now, and I'm still young." His usual pleasant smile crept back into the corners of his mouth.

"That you are, Twinkletoes, that you are."

On the deck of the ship, Sokka stared blankly off into the distance. He wondered when he would be able to see the slightest glimpse of land, and he wondered if it would be the land that Suki inhabited. He heaved a great sigh, slumping his tanned body onto the railing. He looked gloomily at his own arms, wondering if they would be allowed to hold the woman he still loved.

Suki…his mind caressed her name, encasing it in the warm embrace he wished he could actually commit. He looked down at his body, his arms and legs, and saw his reflection glint off of the polished metal railing. Apart from gaining a little in height and a bit of toned, mature muscle mass, his appearance hadn't changed much. He hoped Suki looked the same too, because in his mind she stayed as she was when they were together. Her long, silky dark hair, her beautiful big eyes, her soft, plump crimson lips…He swallowed. He suddenly remembered the night they parted for the last time two years ago.

The memories of that night flooded unwelcome back to him. "_Sokka, I can't keep on like this. I need to return to the Kyoshi Warriors. I can't just sit around in the middle of nowhere and wait for you to be ready to settle down." Suki sat rigid at the edge of his bed, her bags already packed. "I've been waiting two years now, and if you still aren't ready, then I need to give you time."_

"_Please, Suki," Sokka pleaded, kneeling by her feet. "I just need to gain a little more trust with the new tribesmen so I can become the Chief Warrior. It'll offer us so much stability that I can't give you now; what with me running off doing weekly hunting trips and overseeing minor defensive tasks. If I'm in charge, I can stay home with you and delegate to the other men. Please, just give me more time!" Sokka grabbed her hands, wrenching her arms uncrossed. She sighed. _

"_You've been saying that for months. And still, even with all the respect you gained from the war, you're not able to advance. I'm holding you back. You're too distracted by me to really take your work seriously." She stood, Sokka's hand dropped by his side. She walked slowly over to her pack, slinging it onto her back. "If I go, if I let you go, you will succeed. And someday," Sokka stood and moved towards her, his eyes shining with tears brewing on their edges, "If we are truly meant to be together, we will find that someday our paths will cross again."_

_Sokka nodded, not willing to believe she was right. He stared into her eyes, and after a moment tears began sliding down both of their cheeks. "They must." He stated it firmly, wiping her tears away. "I promise, I will focus on my work and my mind will never wander from it. I will be everything I can be so when we do come back together, I won't disappoint you." Sokka stifled a sob. Suki leaned up and brushed her lips softly against his. She cupped his angled face in her hands. _

"_You never disappointed me," she whispered, a small smile forming on her perfect lips. "I just never want you to feel like you disappointed yourself."_

_With that, she turned, and walked into the night. Sokka slumped to the ground, silent sobs racking his body until the gentle, early morning glow of the sunrise kissed the ridges of the eastern mountain range._

Sokka let out another big sigh, glancing out to sea once more. This time, however, he saw some ever-so-faint brown edges on an otherwise blue expanse; the telltale sign of land.

His heart jumped in his chest, and he gulped. He stared longingly off, and his lips tingled with the sensation of many, many past kisses.

A few hours later, Katara joined the others on the top deck, waiting to pull into port. She instinctively fell into place next to her brother, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. He glanced back at her and half-smiled.

"Oh I cannot WAIT to see the Kyoshi Warriors again!" Aang exclaimed, jumping into the air several feet and swooshing gracefully back down. "Maybe some of them will let me spar with them! It's been so long since I sparred with skilled warriors," he laughed teasingly as he nudged Sokka playfully. Sokka just gave a faint laugh, his eyes searching the crowd on the beach that awaited them. Finally, as some of the crowd cleared to make way for the Fire Nation's crew and messenger, his eyes landed on a particular Kyoshi Warrior.

Her makeup was done in the signature style, with her armor and headdress done up slightly more modernized and refined than it had been in past years. Her form was almost exactly the same as he remembered, although he couldn't recall her being as shapely and womanly as she seemed now. As his eyes softened and his body warmed with the thought of her curves next to him, she looked up and met his gaze. He looked away.

They all descended the ship, each one greeting and exchanging pleasantries with the locals. However, Sokka determinedly reached the far end of the crowd where he saw her standing last. He stopped, glancing around and frowning, until he felt an all-too-familiar touch on his left shoulder. He turned.

"I told you our paths would cross," said Suki, her painted lips forming a smile so beautiful and radiant Sokka couldn't even stammer out a reply. Before his mind could tell him no, his body took control and he whirled her into his arms, slight tears falling from his cerulean eyes. He held her tight, his arms wrapped around her waist and hers around his neck. She breathed in his scent, taking in every last drop like she was starved of air for the past two years.

"I did it Suki," he finally managed to say, pulling his head back enough so he could see her porcelain face. "I'm the Chief Warrior of the Southern Water Tribe."

She made no reply. Instead, she kissed him. Every kiss there should have been over the past two years came out then, and it was worth the wait.


	4. First Touch

The sun had been down a long while when the gang had all finished eating. They were sitting around a long, circular wooden table in a side wing of the Kyoshi Warrior's training facility. Outside, the sound of waves and a slight breeze gave the night a peaceful air; whereas indoors the hall was filled with excited conversations.

"So what have you been doing here the past couple of years, Suki?" asked Toph, leaning back on her elbows and yawning.

"Ever since the war ended, there's been no real threat. And with no threat, no action," Suki replied. "Everything's been really quiet here. Mostly I've just tried to keep up my warrior skills and help train any of the newer warriors that need it. I've been meaning to make a visit to see all of you, but," she hesitated, looking sideways into Sokka's face. "I've never really felt…courageous enough to." Sokka gently brushed a stray strand of hair away from her face and smiled understandingly.

"No worries," Aang said, bending a small puff of air through the smoke of the fire on the far side of the room. "It's all behind us now. Besides, according to that weird Fire Nation guy, we'll get plenty of action once we reach Zuko." The puff of air popped, sending small tendrils of smoke in all directions.

"Yeah, what's with that guy?" Katara inquired; her brow furrowing. "He's been strangely absent ever since we left the water tribe. Not to mention he seems to know more than he's letting on."

"Earlier when he was talking to me, he was acting really weird. He just rambled off tomorrow's schedule and turned around and left. It's like he doesn't want to be around us more than he has to," Aang added. Sokka nodded and agreed.

"Yeah, when he greeted me, he told me his name was Pyro and he worked for the 'related interests of the Fire Lord,'" Suki said, making fake quotation marks with her hands. "He wouldn't say who they were, though."

"That sure is strange," Katara said while Aang nodded in agreement. Toph just frowned down at the floor, apparently thinking. Suddenly, the messenger called Pyro entered into the dining room.

"Fire Lord Zuko requests that on the day of your arrival, you should be dressed in your finest attire," he cleared his throat, then continued. "Fire Lord Zuko also adds that should any of his guests need formal attire, there are a variety of styles and sizes that may be loaned out per request." His pale yellow eyes glanced stoically around at each of their faces, finally landing on Katara's face. He just stared at her.

"Fire Lord Zuko begs you safe passage, and expresses a strong desire to be seated in your company upon this month's close."Katara blinked, not sure what to say in response. But with that, the messenger left, leaving a roomful of confusion in his wake.

Later that night, the sounds of crickets and the soft, near-silent cooing of a far-away owl was heard. There was only one candle still lit on Kyoshi Island; its dim glow the only thing that could still be seen in the darkness.

Katara's hand flew furiously across the page of her open notebook. After the group went over the strange incidents of Pyro's behavior, she decided to write a letter to Master Pakku and to Grangran detailing the events of their journey so far. She didn't want to leave them in the dark about things; just in case something was to go awry.

"There," she said to herself, rolling up the excess paper and sticking back down inside her pack. She carefully marked the letters with the proper addresses and set them aside to be mailed in the morning before they left for the Fire Nation. She knew that if Grangran and Master Pakku needed to get to them quickly, they could just ride Appa.

Her thoughts drifted to what Pyro had said right before he retired for the night, when he stared at her. Was that last part of the message just meant for her? If so, why was Zuko so eager to see her after all this time? _Surely it was meant for everyone, _the more rational side of her brain argued. Even so, she couldn't help but feel hopeful. Those feelings she hid for so long about the Fire Lord were gradually resurfacing, the buried fantasies and forgotten dreams slowly regaining their power in her mind. She shivered, pulling her covers close. _Whatever the case may be, _she thought, closing her eyes, _I'll find out when we reach the palace._ She drifted to sleep, while thoughts of dancing flames decorating the walls of a great kingdom containing all of her forbidden desires freely flew around her head.

Sokka rose, unable to sleep. He glanced around his empty room and sighed, feeling completely lonely. After two years of being apart, he couldn't bear the six or so hours of sleep it would take to be with her again.

He quietly exited his small chamber, his eyes quickly adjusting to the familiar dark of the training hall. He stealthily made his way to the other end of the hall where all the girls were slumbering. All of his years of being a hunter paid off; not even the cat cleaning himself in the moonlight was aware of his movements. He continued down the long corridor, pausing briefly to catch any sound of a threat. Or in this case, anyone else awake. There was nothing.

He finally crept his way down to the very last door; the door that lead to Suki's room. He glanced around, and when he was satisfied with his empty surroundings he slowly opened the door.

A beam of silver moonlight fell onto the bed, revealing a sliver of the image of a sleeping Suki. Her hair was down and splayed around her body carelessly in slumber. Sokka couldn't help but think to himself that even without her meticulously applied makeup, her face was still the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

He moved over to the side of her bed, kneeling next to her. He took one of her hands in his, and whispered her name softly. "Suki," he said, smiling. "Wake up."

Suki breathed deeply, the muscles in her arms tensing slightly. Then she simply sighed and remained in a deep sleep. Sokka shrugged, just taking in her beauty.

"Even if you can't hear me," he began, his voice just above a whisper. "I just didn't get the chance this evening to tell you how happy I am to have you back in my life."

Suki rolled over a little, her face now inches away from Sokka's. He gulped, then continued. "I don't even know if you know how much you mean to me. I promise you I will be everything you could ever want in a guy," Sokka said, his voice cracking a little. "I know I'm not the best fighter, or the best boyfriend either," he stroked her dark hair away from her face. "I'm not the Avatar, or the Fire Lord, or even a bender. But I'm really good at keeping my promises. And I promise I will love you forever." With that, he kissed her forehead and stood. He was about to leave when he heard a faint noise come from her lips.

He strained hard to listen, waiting for her to say it again. She still appeared to be asleep, although she frowned slightly.

"So…kka…"she whispered unconsciously. Sokka smiled, returning to her side. He slowly and carefully lifted her blanket and climbed in next to her; the bed was incredibly warm and comfortable. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her face, not wishing that moment would ever end. He had no idea what would happen in the next few days as they neared the Fire Kingdom, but he knew deep down in his very soul that the woman he would cherish forever was in his arms then.

The next morning, Sokka awoke before the sunrise. He glanced down at Suki's placid face, her expression peaceful in sleep. He smiled, rose from the bed and began to gather his belongings in her room. He packed what little he had and placed it neatly by the edge of the door. He sighed, silently scolding himself for waking up too early. He sat by the bed, waiting for Suki to wake up. After a few long moments, he got bored and poked her face. She started awake.

"Oh, you startled me!" she cried, sitting up quickly. Her dark hair fell unrestrained around her shoulders, longer than it used to be.

"I'm sorry," Sokka replied sheepishly, glancing away. "I was bored and lonely and I woke up too early. Besides, we have to leave today so I thought you should wake up earlier to pack…" He trailed off, blushing slightly.

"Oh I've been packed for days," she said, standing up and walking over to a large wooden armoire and selecting the only outfit there that wasn't already packed.

"Oh,"Sokka said, relieved to be able to spend some extra time this morning alone with her. "Glad to see you're prepared as always."

"You know me," she mumbled distractedly, pulling at the sash of her sleeping gown. With a quick tug the entire gown fell to her feet. Sokka stared, his face flushing with color. Underneath her gown she wore nothing, so her bare body lay completely exposed to him. She turned slightly, looking back at Sokka's gawking face.

"Would you mind helping me into this?" She held up her armor, parts of it glinting in the early morning sunlight.

"Uh…sh-sure," he stuttered, clambering over to her. "How, exactly?"

She turned completely around, and Sokka's eyes just widened to the extreme. Her breasts were full and round and perky, and he had an overwhelming desire to touch them. She stepped close to him, the tip of one brushing against his arm. He shuddered.

"Yeah, this part goes around my waist and it's just hard to tie on my own. I've been doing it my whole life but somehow it's always easier to have one of the other girls do it for me. Since you're here, you might as well." She half-smiled at him, her eyes sparkling with a mischievous glint.

Sokka did his best to focus on the task at hand, tying the complicated knot at her waist and following her instructions as much as he could without getting distracted. Finally, her bottom half was fully clothed in armor, but her torso remained naked.

"Will you wrap my breasts?" She asked, a playful smirk on her scarlet lips.

Sokka's heart skipped, and his body felt about a million degrees hotter. He gulped, glancing down at the perfect orbs for a second. "Alright," he breathed.

She handed him the bands that all women of age typically wore around their upper body to provide support, and he unraveled it. He stepped behind her, wrapping it around her front. He wound it several times, doing it as tight as she asked him to. His breathing became ragged and he felt his lower body becoming hot. He finally stopped and tied it behind her, his hands briefly resting on her breasts. She made a soft sound that Sokka had never heard her make before. He dropped his hands, and spun her around.

"Sokka," she breathed, her eyes shining with an expression he could only peg as lust. His right hand slid down to her curvy hips and pulled her in for a kiss while his left hand stroked her breast. She fell into him, her arms wrapping around his neck and caressing his face.

Suddenly there was a sound at the door, almost like someone was clearing their throat.

The pair ripped apart, both blushing an amusing shade of red. The person at the door was Aang, and his face was turning a similar color.

"Um, everyone's gathering outside when they're…erm…ready," he choked out, fiddling with his staff. "Sooo, uhhh…yeah." With that, Aang turned on his heel and practically sprinted from view.

For a couple of moments Sokka stood still; completely embarrassed and not sure of what to say. However, Suki soon broke the silence.

"I guess that was just something we can continue on the ship after everyone's gone to bed," she stepped in front of him, fully dressed. She gazed into his eyes and finally kissed him passionately on the lips. After, she sighed and left the room.

Sokka still stood rigidly in the center of the room, his head spinning dizzily. He felt cold suddenly, and he felt a slight pain below the belt. He shook his head, and thought to himself, _why am I terrified and exhilarated at the same time? And why am I so hungry all of a sudden?_

He sighed, making his way out to join the others.


End file.
